Page 5 of Everything In Between
I couldn’t even deny it. Aside from the magnetism she exuded on stage, the number of songs I didn’t know but foundincredibly endearing was off the charts. God, what would the guys on the team think seeing me at a concert like this surrounded by the crowd singing every word and coming away a Jersey Matthews fan myself?
My sister bounces up and down in her seat, still jiving from the highs of the concert. Glancing over at her every few minutes, I smile to myself.
Riley has brought my family nothing but joy her entire life, and I’d do anything to make her happy. Even go to Jersey Matthews concerts. Hell, I’d go to a Justin Bieber concert if she asked me.
When the car pulls up to my front door, Riley is quick to slide out. I hang back, sliding our driver an extra cash tip and patting him on his shoulder in thanks. Riley is typing her passcode into my front door. Once the door clicks open, I follow her inside. She beelines straight for the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing the leftover pasta we had for lunch. In record time, she’s got the container open and attacks it with a fork, not bothering to heat it up.
She peers up at me sheepishly with a mouthful of spaghetti. “I’m so hungry,” she mutters, mouth still full.
I shake my head and don’t bother fighting off the amused twitch of my lips. “Help yourself but make sure to hit the lights when you’re done. I’m going upstairs to shower.”
She gives me a halfhearted wave as I disappear around the corner, climbing the stairs and going straight to my room. As soon as I walk in, I go straight to the dog bed by my dresser, leaning down and giving my little dog, Periwinkle, a few scratches behind her ears. She looks up at me with round dark eyes and gives a pleased snort.
After saying hello to my furry companion, I close my bedroom door and lock it—a habit I developed when I was ateenager with a little sister—wander into my en suite bathroom and strip out of my jeans and polo shirt.
My home in Milwaukee is on the lower end of luxury. With my salary, I could afford to buy something nicer, but I’ve chosen to invest my money in other places, donating way more than necessary to some of my favorite charitable organizations, contributing to my own personal interests, business ventures, and stocks, and sliding some into an account to pay for the rest of Riley’s college since my parents don’t really have the means for that.
But with that being said, I live comfortably.
My walk-in shower steams up in less than no time and I step in, closing the stall door behind me and immersing myself under the hot stream. I close my eyes, immediately hit with the onslaught of memories from the show tonight.
It ended only an hour ago and I’m itching to see her perform again. How could I not? She was made for the stage, made for the limelight.
I shower quickly, washing my hair and scrubbing down with my pine-scented body wash. When I get out, I towel myself off and find my favorite pair of sweatpants before settling in bed. I reach for my phone and start scrolling, searching for some recaps from tonight’s show, itching for a chance to relive it once more.
Some of the headlines fly in my face:
Jersey Matthews slays at Majestics home stadium
Jersey Matthews holds everyone under her spell, and here’s why
Want to know everything about Jersey Matthews? Click here
I know it’s clickbait, but I tap the last link with little hesitation. I don’t know much about the pop princess, but after tonight’s show, I need to know more.
The article is a quick overview of Jersey’s career, relationships, and how she rose to fame and brought her twin brother with her. I’m surprised to see Roman Hendrix standing next to her in the picture that labels them twins. I recently watched a movie he starred in, and I wouldn’t have guessed he was her twin. But now that I see them standing side-by-side, I see it. He has the same dark hair as her, the same facial features. Though, her eyes glitter with unmatched energy and spirit, even through the picture.
There are a few other candid pictures of her performing on stage, recording in the studio, and a few fan-taken photos from meet-and-greets. There’re a few paragraphs mentioning her recent split from her longtime boyfriend, Corey Shrader—accompanied by another headline:
The juicy details behind Matthews-Shrader messy breakup.
I find myself curious about what she’s like in real life, away from the prestige and the stage lights. Is she as friendly as she appears with fans she meets on the streets? Does she appreciate all the words and the stories about what her work means to them?
I know for me, when I run into fans, my favorite part is getting to know them and how they came to be fans in the first place. Especially when I find out they used to be fans of different teams but then switched their loyalties to the Majestics.Nothing makes my heart soar like knowing that I’ve contributed to building a fan base. By the look on her face in the pictures with her fans, I can deduce that she appreciates them greatly.
Something I noticed at the show tonight too. There was something alluring about the way her face lit up as she waved at her fans in the crowd as if they were long-lost friends. I wonder what it would be like to be the recipient of that kind of attention from her.
Scrolling through pictures of Jersey from the show tonight and some of her other shows from her cross-country tour, I somehow stumble onto one of the music videos from her most recent album. I click on it, tilting my phone so it’s in landscape view to see the video better.
This song was the opening act she played at her concert tonight, and I find myself humming along with the melody. I don’t know the words yet, but the tune is easy to follow. In the back of my mind, I can picture her stage set up, and certain aspects of her choreography as she greeted everyone and kicked off the show.
When the video ends, I scroll down to the comments reading what some of her fans have to say about her. There’s the usual praise, but also many comments saying she deserves to win Song of the Year.
I blink a few times and run a hand over the stubble on my jaw, all the while registering what that means. Then, a quick Google search later, I find out that Jersey Matthews will be attending the VMAs next week.
What a fortunate turn of events, I think to myself.
Anticipation bubbles in my chest, knowing that we’ll be in each other’s vicinity again soon. I can’t explain it, but I need to meet her, talk to her, tell her how much I admire her.
